Why do we so often give up that which gives us life when life become hectic?

Ever since I was introduced to Visio Divina and contemplative photography as spiritual practices, they resonated with my heart in a deep and powerful way that was almost beyond description. Contemplative photography in particular has been a rich part of my spiritual practice, helping to be present and grounded in the midst of anxiety and change. And yet, this fall, even after signing up for the WordPress Photography Challenge in November, I allowed it to slip off my radar. I was quite diligent for the first week about taking a photo and posting it… I think it was the day that we were supposed to photograph a monument of some sort that I stopped taking my camera with me. I had a very busy day from first thing in the morning to late in the evening. There was NO WAY I could find time to photograph a monument. So, I let that day slide by, then the next and the next and I never did engage in the challenge again that month.

Yet it seemed as if something was missing from my day, but I couldn’t quite figure out what, and I was too busy to spend much time thinking about it. December brought a three week bout of strep throat and while my voice miraculously worked on Sundays, my energy was at an all time low. I found myself in a rut, only going between the church and my home and I was bored. I saw an announcement that the Public Gardens were going to be open to the public on the night of the Winter Solstice. I suggested to my husband that we go and I grabbed my camera off its hook on the way out the door. It was a chilly, but calm, December evening; there were lights strung on some of the buildings, which provided a bit of light, along with the lamps that are along the pathways. It was an oasis of peace and quiet in the middle of December madness. It felt SO good to have my camera back in my hands, it was like those little wooden puzzles that only fit together in one way. It was like everything slipped into its proper place as I focused and shifted. In the words of my favourite poet, Leonard Cohen: ” And like a blessing come from heaven for something like a second I was healed and my heart was at ease.”

And that’s my window on God’s world.